“Would you kill me if I tried? Or enslave me?”
His face grows contemplative. “I don’t know what I’d do.”
“You can’t keep lying.”
“I don’t think you’ll like all my truths.”
I downcast my eyes. “Where does this leave us?”
“You seemed to like my company enough. Pretend like you never saw what was in the other room.”
“Can we renegotiate?”
“What do you want now, Little Lamb? Conversations? Cuddles? Truths you have no business knowing?”
“I want to know about your people.”
“I’ll bring you to my people soon enough. We live in the Keep, which is the safest place you could be. You’ll see for yourself. It's not like this. It's nicer. You'll be able to hang out and watch TV.”
“I prefer reading,” I lie, because I want to be difficult.
“Suit yourself.”
“Why is it called the Keep?”
“A keep is the strongest part of a castle.”
I smile. “I like that explanation.”
“Are we done?”
“I want to know more about your people’s goals. Their intentions.”
“That’s going to cost you.”
“What could I possibly give—”
His eyes tell me what he wants. Something he could so easily take if he desired.
But he enjoys negotiating. Letting me pretend I have a measure of control.
I have none.
“Tell me more about yourself, and I’ll give you anything you want,” I say, playing his game lazily.
“First, there’s the issue of punishment.”
I frown.
He takes a seat on the bed and removes his shirt. “Undress.”
I remember the talk we’d had over the radio and know what he aims to do. Turn my ass from white to red.
“If I let you do this, you have to tell me things.”
“Little Lamb, I already bought and paid for this with that first orgasm you had.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it!”